RunYogi Diaries Podcast

In today's episode is Anusuya Ashok, a spirited lady who has been pushing boundaries in her running and wellness journey, and she’s doing it as draped in a saree, a commendable act because women who are more comfortable in ethnic outfits can see new doors of possibilities.  We speak about how running entered her life, tips on how she scaled her volume to complete full marathons and ultra, the...

In the house, today is an ultra-endurance athlete who has no boundaries.  As someone who started his journey as a runner, scaled to be an ultra-runner, he went to complete multiple Ironman triathlons and serious mountaineer. And all this while having a commitment to work and family.   We get behind this fascinating personal journey, how is it that while many struggles to eke out 30 minut...

Today, in the house is someone who has successfully pursued her passion for ultras navigating her commitments as a parent, spouse, and professional.   Being a recreational athlete can be demanding, but it seems women have it more difficult for a variety of reasons.  Part of the likely reason, the %age of South Asian women participating in marathons and ultras in the Americas is relativel...

#ultra #running #run4water  It's exciting to have Katie Spotz back on the show, this time to share her latest adventure of running 11 ultras (50k) in 11 consecutive days to raise funds for water projects in under-served communities.   Throughout her adventures, Katie isn’t just seeking to make history. She is also raising money for safe drinking water projects around the world. To date,...

In the house, happy to have the incredible Manmadh Rebba back. From being a non-swimmer once, he went to conquer the water. He did log distance ocean swimming, IronMan, and the Ultraman ( double the distance to the IronMan ). That's his spirit, indomitable and always pursuing more.  The Pandemic life didn't stop him either, from conquering the Grand Canyon rim to rim, pivoting into ultra runn...

Susan Donnelly is amongst the elite list of athletes who have done 100 plus of the 100-mile ultra running races.   What exactly is the limit of human endurance you may wonder because when you fathom Susan's accomplishment comes, it baffles one's mind.   She has to her credit over 300 ultra-run finishes in a span of 20 years, that's an average of 15 ultras per year.   ...

#everest #mountaineering   In todays’ episode, we have a young man who has made mountaineering the central theme of life. He started trekking at the age of 15 and has completed over 800 treks across Sahyadri's and Himalayan Mountain ranges., eventually summitting Mt Everest at age 24.  His mission is to make adventure sport mainstream in India.

Our guest today is Kaushik Sunder , a scientist, musician and budding ultra runner, who recently crossed the finish line of the 250+ miler Cocodona 250, a grueling foot race across the desert landscape of Arizona.   What's more fascinating about his story is that he went from zero to 250 miler racing in just less than 5 years.   We also a candid conversation around mental healt...

Subbu Venkat is a Houston area runner, who has been getting faster and fitter. He is an active community volunteer, having served in HARRA the Houston area runners' association, and more recently on the board of the Chevron Houston marathon.  We explore how he got into running, his approach to training that's making him go faster, his love for all things Japan, his touching act of being a liv...

Coach Pani'- as he is fondly called - took up serious running during his Indian Air Force days. While serving the country for 21 years, he also participated in various middle distance running competitions and winning them. He was also head coach Bangalore NRC (Nike Run Club).  He is always looking out to learn newer things and enriching his knowledge. He is a certified Personal Trainer (Ameri...

#worldrecords #marathons #BQ  In the house today, the incredibly inspiring Gene Dykes, the fastest known 70+ marathoner with a PR of 2:54:23 in 2018.   Dykes has become one of the most prolific and successful septuagenarian racers of all time, winning multiple masters national championships, setting a number of national records, becoming the oldest person ever to run the Triple Crown of...

In the house today is Pradeep Pise, who recently completed an epic 260+ mile foot race in the deserts and mountains of Arizona.  Pradeep is the average Indian guy, who didn't play many sports growing up, got busy with career and family,  and one day wakes up to the possibility of running. What followed is a blossoming passion for marathons and over the last few years,  ultra-running...

In the 50th episode of the podcast, nothing more special than talking to Danny Dreyer.   Danny Dreyer is the co-founder of ChiRunning and ChiWalking—revolutionary forms of moving that blend the subtle inner focuses of T’ai Chi with running and walking—along with his wife and business partner, Katherine Dreyer. A leader in revolutionizing the running world for the last two decades, Danny based...

Pam's started her journey in running during her 20(s) and then took a 12-year hiatus to raise a family until the running bug hit again in her early 40(s). She came back stronger and went on to qualify for Boston marathons multiple times   In the last few years, she went to work on her swimming and pivoted into the world of Triathlons. She went ton to qualify for the Ironman 70.3 world ch...

Rajeev Patel is an all-star in the Bay Area. An accomplished ultra runner, he is also a passionate coach who has supported over 700 runners cross the finish line around the SF Bay area.  He is also a pioneer of sorts for the ultra scene amongst the Indian American community.  His running experience is so rich and laced with so many initiatives, we spoke at length about how it all started...

Our guest Chris is a familiar figure in the Texas trail running scene. Some of the best races are organized by his company.  He is also accomplished in ultra and adventure running.  We explore his running journey and the pivot into race direction and the adaptations for the pandemic world.

In this episode of the monthly Listener Spotlight, our guest shares her story of losing her way to finding the courage for self-care through fitness, endurance sports, and community.   Her story would resonate with many who lose themselves in the process of life and finally hit a low point until there is not going further, but to take personal responsibility for self-care.   She exu...

Our guest today has come a long way from his first home in South Sudan. After war broke out in the country, his family fled to Uganda. He was then approved to move to the US as a refugee as a young child.  Michael is now a history teacher at Episcopal High School and coaches the cross country and track teams.    We talk to Michael about life in a refugee camp amidst a war-torn regio...

Our guest in this episode, Ashwini Bhat is among the six members of an ‘Ultra team’ who will represent India at an international sporting event in Romania scheduled for October 2021. The IAU World Championships (a 24-hour run) is organized every year by the International Association of Ultra Runners.  To qualify for it, Ashwini ran 181km in 24 hours, finishing seventh overall and fourth among...

#ultras #onehundredmilers #running   Today's guest has a fascinating story of going couch to 100 milers ultras. His journey is filled with discovery and self-learning.  We explore what it takes to run ultras, early mistakes and how to avoid them, taking new challenges,  preventing injuries, changes to food habits, and balancing multiple commitments.  Give it a listen and leave...

My guest today is a fellow YouTuber and Ultra runner Stephane Laporte from Saigon, Vietnam. Stephane has a fascinating journey of endurance running intertwined with his work journey of helping other runners. He loves running so much, he decides to switch careers from being an IT professional to becoming an osteopathic therapist. We get to talk about how and why of that journey. We get to dwell int...

This is a new series of conversations with listeners of the show who have an inspiring fitness journey.  We call Radhika, the Iron Lady of our running group. She has been one of the active listeners to the podcast and more recently had a breakthrough in the area of weight loss.   Her fitness journey is all rounded, from running to Tae Kwondo to Dancing, she does it all. Her spirit i...

My guest today Scott Farrand , formerly a senior executive at HPE and an ardent recreational endurance athlete . Scott is someone who is like good old wine, getting better with age, someone who has been at marathons and triathlons for over 16 years and he is only 60 years young. We get to talk about he does it all , balancing family, work and training, his journey of marathons to the Iron man, wha...

As per NAMI, the national alliance on mental illness, the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization, 1 in 20 people are afflicted by mental illness in America.   In today’s episode, we touch upon this topic. It’s important to bring awareness to this epidemic because like all other physical illnesses, it needs societal support and understanding.   Running and physical activit...

My guest today is Karen Harbaugh, a mother of three, a busy medical professional, and someone who has thrived in multiple endurance activities from obstacle races to ultras to iron man triathlons, including qualifying for the 2018 ITU world triathlon grand final gold coast. She also happens to be a Vibram ambassador.  We get to talk about how it all started, how does she juggle all her respon...